Research Associate I or Research Associate II
About The Position
The Gehan Lab at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri, seeks a full-time Research Associate to contribute plant molecular biology expertise to projects and lead lab organization. The lab studies how crops respond to temperature and other environmental stresses, combining molecular genetics with high-throughput phenotyping and open-source image analysis, including PlantCV. The role is divided between hands-on bench research (about 70%) and lab administration (about 30%). With mentorship from the lab principal investigator, the successful candidate will independently conduct molecular experiments, train and support lab members, organize germplasm, and manage ordering, safety, and day-to-day lab operations. The position also supports plant growth and stress experiments, lab records and standard operating procedures, supply and inventory management, compliance, onboarding, shared scheduling, and selected grant, data-management, and website tasks. The role includes other duties as assigned and calls for alignment with the Danforth Center values of Collaboration, Diversity & Inclusion, Innovation, Integrity & Respect, Environmental Sustainability, and Stewardship.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in molecular biology, plant biology, genetics, biochemistry, or a related field.
- Molecular biology laboratory experience in an academic or industry setting.
- Expertise in nucleic acid extraction, PCR/qPCR, gel electrophoresis, cloning, and sterile technique.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage several priorities at once.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills and comfort training others.
- Comfort with Google Docs, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
Nice To Haves
- Three or more years of relevant laboratory experience.
- Prior lab experience with purchasing, inventory, and safety compliance.
- Experience with plant transformation, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, tissue culture, or plant protoplasts.
- Experience with plant growth and stress experiments in growth chambers or greenhouses.
- Familiarity with basic bioinformatics, Python, or R.
- Interest in plant phenotyping, image analysis, or open-source science.
Responsibilities
- Design and carry out molecular experiments, including DNA/RNA extraction, PCR and qRT-PCR, cloning, and plasmid construction.
- Generate and characterize transgenic and gene-edited plant lines, including CRISPR/Cas9 lines, and genotype mutant and segregating populations.
- Prepare samples for RNA-seq, amplicon, and whole-genome sequencing.
- Organize and track plant germplasm.
- Grow and maintain plants in growth chambers, greenhouses, and phenotyping facilities, and help run temperature-stress and phenotyping experiments.
- Troubleshoot and optimize protocols; write and maintain clear standard operating procedures.
- Keep accurate records in the lab’s electronic notebook and summarize results for lab meetings, reports, and publications.
- Train students, technicians, and postdocs in molecular techniques and lab practices.
- Order supplies, reagents, and equipment; track spending against grant budgets with the PI and Center finance staff.
- Maintain inventories of reagents, seed stocks, plasmids, and strains, as well as shared databases.
- Ensure compliance with Center safety, biosafety, chemical, and waste policies.
- Onboard new lab members and coordinate shared schedules, growth-space requests, and lab meetings.
- Support grant progress reports, data management plans, and lab website updates as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Live the Danforth Center values: Collaboration, Diversity & Inclusion, Innovation, Integrity & Respect, Environmental Sustainability, and Stewardship.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
